Analysis Of What You Pawn I Will Redeem

“What You Pawn, I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie is a short story centered on a homeless American Indian, Jackson Jackson. The story tells of Jackson’s journey to redeem his grandmother’s regalia back from the pawnshop it was sold to over 50 years ago. Title is appropriate for the short story. Someone stole his grandmother’s dress and now Jackson is on a mission to get it back. As the narrator, Jackson uses a variety of tones such as optimism, depression and sometimes even sarcasm. The central theme is a man struggling to provide some type of meaning to his life. Despite one’s circumstance, in the case Jackson’s homelessness, there is always hope.

The story takes in the city of Spokane, Washington. Jackson provides the reader with a sense of his family history when he states “….my people have lived within a hundred mile radius of Spokane, Washington for at least ten thousand years.” Jackson uses direct characterization to describe himself. In the second paragraph, Jackson states “I grew up in Spokane, moved to Seattle twenty-three years ago for college, flunked out after two semesters, worked various blue- and bluer-collar jobs, married two or three times, fathered two or three kids, and then went crazy.” This implies that Jackson was not always homeless. He is education and at one point led a normal life. Over time Jackson began to lose himself and his self-worth. Jackson is unsure of the cause but says “piece by piece, I disappeared. I’ve been disappearing ever since.” Jackson has a very honest attitude when expressing his thoughts and feelings.

Jackson may be homeless but he is not alone. He roams those Spokane streets with his “crew”, Junior and Sharon. In the fifth paragraph, Jackson describes their relationship when say...

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...ker tells him to take the regalia. Jackson was a bit saddened because he wanted to “win” it. The pawnbroker says “You did win it. Now take it before I change my mind.” Jackson took the regalia. For a brief moment in time, Jackson’s homeless status did not exist. Nothing existed but him and his grandmother. He detached himself from his reality, wrapped himself in his grandmother’s regalia and inhaled her. He finally found a part of himself.

During the entire story, the readers are sympathetic towards Jackson. Alexie’s familiar syntax and direct approach makes to readers feel some connected and understanding towards Jackson and his circumstance. Jackson redeems his grandmother’s regalia. He was the “hero.” The story does not state if this adventure cause Jackson to find himself but it did provide the readers with a sense of hope through kind gestures and perseverance.